Long Island International Film Expo Award Winners Announced

After a week of films, panels and special events, the award winners of the 16th Annual Long Island International Film Expo (LIIFE) were recently announced at the festival's closing ceremony held at Bellmore Movies.

“Everyone who was accepted into LIIFE is already a winner, and the fact that more filmmakers submit to LIIFE and return year after year because of the film community that LIIFE fosters, makes it as important an event for the filmmakers as it is for the public,” Debra Markowitz, festival director and director of the Nassau County Film Office said.

The cultural showcase, which started July 17, featured 146 films from around the world. There were films from 18 countries with 36 of the movies screened having Long Island ties.

The winners are:

Special Honorees

Ally Sheedy - Humanitarian Award

William Sadler - Creative Achievement Award

Best Documentary-Beyond Broken

Best Feature Film-The Human Race

Best Music Video-Barnaby Bright - Old Coats

Best Animation-Cold Heart

Best Foreign Film-Time 2 Split

Best Student Film-Girls Named Pinky

Best Short Film-Four Simple Rules

Best Long Island Film-Send No Flowers - Feature Film, Tilt of a Rose - Short Film

Best First Film-Bullified

Best Trailer-The Clear

Alan Fortunoff Humanitarian Film Award-Deputized

Best Story - Feature Film-Carla - Written by Eli Hershko

Best Story - Short Film-For Clearer Skies - Alfredo Salvatore Arcilesi, Writer

Best Director - Feature Film-Things I Don’t Understand - David Spaltro, Director

Best Director - Short Film-Checkmate, Keep Your Enemies Closer - Federico Castelluccio, Director

Jury Award for Best Short Film-My Friend Charlie Wright

Jury Award for Best Feature Film-Theresa is a Mother

Audience Award-Send No Flowers

Gold Pass Award-Wet Behind the Ears